HDR-HC9 Conversion for Infrared use

[Alastair Traill]

[QUOTE=John Miller;1058304]

I used this for illumination:
Weatherproof IR Illuminator[/url]

and I recorded directly to a laptop (for 8 hours!) while I slept.


Thanks for the details of your light, it sounds interesting. I have been assembling kits with 32 IR l.e.ds. per kit, so far I have assembled 9 kits at great expense, a lot of soldering and not much output. Luckily my subjects are usually less than 3 feet away. I have been directing the output of my surveillance camera(s) into a PD 150. If I am using two cameras I select the output of choice with a simple switch in which case I have to be nearby. Otherwise I just let the camera run and I can get out of the animal's way.

[Tony Stamp]

hi Guys i thought i might add my test footage using near infrared now this camera is a modified CCTV its a typical Silicon CCD but i have removed the band pass filter so the sensor now sees from 380nM to 1.2uM ok not quite 1200nM its QE drops like a sack od S**t after 1180nM but heres the test anyway light is home made 216 x 850nM ultrabright LEDs rinning on a 2.8Ah lead acid gel battery (YUASA) which too me 5 hrs to solder the bloody thing together
YouTube - Mike Dixon helps test the new lights
Dont expect nothing wonderful guys its still in the test phase although ive done a bit of work with itand its only SD 576i

[Alastair Traill]

Hi Tony,

The LED panels that I used in the post above came in kit-form from Keno. Each kit uses 32 LED's and draws ~ 300 mA at 12 volt DC. Does all this sound familiar? I have soldered up about 10 kits.

Also what was the original function of the camera you used? Did you use an IR lens?

[Tony Stamp]

Hello Guys and Girls
OK lets kick off with i have a new channel on You Tube to throw the odd idea at you guys Infrared lighting for the outdoors is a subject that seems to go above even the pro group as i have asked what they use and i get oh that a trade secret which to me translates to I dont have a clue cos Trevor built it in his shed for the BBC... so heres my 2 bobs worth of clips while testing my very own hany work and the fact ive been doing this since the days when camcorders used full sized VHS tapes.
YouTube - outithewoods's Channel
This in conjunction with wall2rockclimbers channel have mad the odd IR video in even adverse weather now dont expect too much as you tube is in 480p at best and the master recordings are only 576i AVI with sound being 16bit 48KHz PCM but it gives you an idea
ATB Tony

[Tony Stamp]

Originally Posted by Alastair Traill

The limitations to the standard HDR-HC9 in Nightshot mode seem to be that the lens is always at full aperture and the gain setting is always on full. I understand that you can buy a "converted" camera or have your own camera converted. The conversion involves the removal of the existing IR cut filter and replacing with an IR pass filter. This means that the camera can be set on any aperture or any gain. If it is to be used for normal daylight use a filter must be added to obtain natural colours.

Can anyone give me any idea how successful a converted camera is for recording wild life with Infrared lighting at night and also at dusk when there is a mixture of day light and infrared?

OK guys this is the test i did 1 scrap CCTV camera ala Skip ,removal of BANDPASS filter and rebuild vs a Panasonic 3CCD Camcorder.
YouTube - Infrared Camera Test
This channel is mainly for testing field video kit made from very basic consumer kit and salvaged scrap if and when found in the rubbish at work.
please take note of this when you comment on Picture & Sound quality and feel free to add any constructive advice if you are a pro producer of video.

[Tony Stamp]

Originally Posted by Alastair Traill

Hi Tony,

The LED panels that I used in the post above came in kit-form from Keno. Each kit uses 32 LED's and draws ~ 300 mA at 12 volt DC. Does all this sound familiar? I have soldered up about 10 kits.

Also what was the original function of the camera you used? Did you use an IR lens?

it took me 5 and a half hours to build the IR216 light thats 216 5mm ultra bright water clear 850nM LEDs so yea i know lol :0)
OK the Camera its a junked CCTV camera from work, i removed the bandpass filter and rebuilt it focal length is a little off without the filter so i had to move the lens in closer to the CCD as it is on this camera and for those who want to know CMOS are the same as far as their QE at IR silicon based sensors drop out at about 1180nM (1.18microns) so for near Infrared imaging the work ok if you flood the area with Ir light low enought so you and any mammal cant see it but not so low as you loose the sensors peak which is about 950nM before it starts to drop , so yes 940nM LEDS do work and are totally invisible to us but more expencive if you have the money the look at RAYTECHs RM300 IR light and their full range .oh for a lottery win right now new cameras and lighting here i come :0)